Omni Hotels continues its expansion in the luxury hotel and resort market, as it announces plans for two new properties, adding to its existing North American portfolio.

In the last 60 days, Omni Hotels closed on a striking parcel of land in Pontoque, Mexico, on the Pacific Ocean, which will become Omni's third resort in Mexico and also entered into a partnership with Songy Partners of Atlanta to jointly purchase and transform a hotel in downtown Houston.

Along with these two new projects, Omni is also constructing the Omni Fort Worth Hotel and condominiums expected to open in late 2008.

"We are very eager to add these two new projects to our ongoing development efforts," said Mike Deitemeyer, president of Omni Hotels. "These additions to our portfolio extend our luxury hotel brand and certainly exemplify our commitment to delivering memorable guest experiences in premiere resort and business destinations."


The master planned resort community to be constructed in Pontoque is situated among 90 lush acres along Banderas Bay -- Mexico's largest natural bay -- and is fronted by pristine beaches. Just miles north of Puerto Vallarta, the area is often referred to as the Mexican Riviera. The development will include a luxury Omni resort with exceptional golf, spa and culinary elements along with a boutique hotel, luxury condos, villas and single-family residential areas. Ground is expected to be broken in 2008 with the first phase opening in 2010.

Omni Hotels and Songy Partners of Atlanta are planning a comprehensive redevelopment of a former Sheraton to transform the tower into an all-suites luxury hotel in the heart of downtown Houston near numerous high rise office buildings and just a few short blocks from the convention center. The property is also just steps away from the new Houston Pavilions project -- rapidly becoming known as downtown Houston's premiere entertainment, retail and urban office hub, anchored by the House of Blues and Lucky Strike Lanes.

The transformed property will feature 400-plus suites, approximately 30,000 square feet of meeting space and multiple culinary venues. Also serving today's business and leisure travelers will be a complete wellness center located on the fourth floor which is also accessible through a separate, private ground floor entrance for neighboring Houstonians and nearby office workers. The 13,000 square foot wellness center will offer a state-of-the art fitness facility with a Mokara Salon & Spa, personal trainers and nutritionists on staff to assist with creating customized wellness and fitness regimens. Redevelopment is expected to begin later this year, and the property will open for guests in 2009. This will be Omni's third property in Houston along with the renowned Omni Houston Hotel in the Uptown/Galleria area, which recently broke ground on a new ballroom and spa addition, and the Omni Houston Hotel at Westside.

The three development projects join Omni's portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts, well recognized for high standards, and extends a continuous period of aggressive growth for Omni Hotels. The latest period of expansion began in 2002 with the opening of its Omni San Francisco Hotel. Since then, the company has opened a 600-room tower and meeting space as part of Atlanta's Omni Hotel at CNN Center (2003), the Omni San Diego Hotel (2004) and the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate (2004). In March 2006, Omni acquired the La Mansion del Rio and the Watermark Hotel & Spa in San Antonio. The company also extended its international reach in March by joining the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), a network of luxury brands with hotels and resorts in more than 150 destinations in 39 countries.